The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-13
A FORGED PARDON.
How Ed Rice Stole Fortune and Was
in Turn Robbed.
From the Nen York sun.

From the NeW York Sun.
One of the nerviest pieces of work ever at
tempted by a professional crook was that
performed by Big Ed Rice eight or ten years
ago, he being assisted in the work by Tom
Bigelow, of Windsor, Ontario. A pal of
Rice had been arrested in Indiana and sent
to prison for attempting to pass a forged
check on a bank. The sentence was for
three years, and the name of the man was
Stetson. More than $1,000 was paid to
lawyers to prevent his conviction, but it
was clear case and nothing would save
him. 1t was claimed that it was a case of
mistaken identity, and the newspapers dis
cuSSed the affair IN a manner to convince
many of their readers that Stetson was a
much injured man. The sentence was no
sooner i'll operation than there was talk that
the Governor would be appealed to to grant
a pardon, and the convict had only served
six weeks when it was announced in Indian
apohs and Chicago papers that the Governor
had agreed to grant a pardon. This was the
sly work of Ed Rice with newspaper men.
He claimed to be New York lawyer and
attorney of Stetson. Bigelow claimed to be
brother-in-law and a Chicago broker.
What was inserted in the papers after the
trial was for the benefit of the prison officials.
1t was published only in papers that found
their way into prison, and Stetson took good
care that all knew that he was in daily ex-
pectation of pardon. He had been i'll prison
about seven weeks when Rice appeared one
day and stated to the Warden that the Gov
ernor had issued and mailed a pardon, and,
indeed, was in the office when the mail was
received and the pardon taken from its en-
velope. The Warden was prepared for the
reception of the document He believed that
the Governor had been appealed to and that
he looked upon Stetson as an innocent man.
Tl1kaI nj
nature all right, and but for trifing Incl
dent Stetson would have walked out of
prison inside of an hour. Some one from
Indianapolis, who had business at the prison,
came in just as the Warden was looking
over the document and remarked that the
Governor had been absent from the State for
several days past and his signature could not
be had TO several documents. Here was his
signature to the pardon attached only the
day before at Indianapolis, and the Warden
would have been poor stick not to see that
something needed explanation. Rice was
cool and collected, and had the other party
not been friend of the Warden his state
ment would have passed for mistake. As
it was he determined to investigate before
giving Stetson his liberty, and he said to
Rice:
IF the Governor was not in Indianapolis
yesterday this signature is a forgery. If he
was there then the document is all right"
"You can ascertain by telegraph in an
hour, replied Rice. 81 have some business
at the bank, and will return in an hour
While do not see how this document can be
questioned, | yet desire you will take every
precaution to render yourself safe" He
went out to take train out of the city, and
be heard of no more, and inside of an hour
it was known that the paper was forgery.
Bigelow had accomplished his part of the
work in successful manner, but Rice had
failed through trifiing circumstance. There
was an official investigation into the matter,
or rather one was begun and then zealously
hushed up. There was no question as to the
forgery of the Governors signature, but
how Bigelow got the blank pardon and seal
of the State was a mystery. There had been
no breaking and entering, and those who
knew of the case came to the conclusion
that bribery had brought things about. A
certain employee Of the State who had access
to the Governors Office suddenly left for
Texas or somewhere else, and the matter
soon died out Stetson served thirteen
months of his sentence, and then slammed
sickness and escaped from the hospital.
This same Rice and Stetson did a very
bold piece of work in Philadelphia about
six years ago, the lay being entirely differ
ent. Rice had some stolen bonds he was
anxious to dispose of. They were the public
improvement bonds of some Ohio city, and
for some reason the party losing them had
not notified brokers and bankers of their loss
Rice, dressed as farmer, entered a stock
brokers' Office and said that he had taken the
bonds in exchange for some Virginia coal
lands, and was only few minutes convert
ing them into cash. AT the time of his visit
a wealthy widow was in the office inquiring
if she had not better sell certain United
States bonds and invest in land mortgages
Rice heard her name mentioned, and he
heard the broker advise her to sell. When
she went away he piped her home, and that
afternoon he called at the house as the con-
fidential clerk of Bond & Co., looked over
the securities and gave her a receipt, and
took away with him S14, 900 worth of bonds
which were negotiated before noon the next
day., He was all alone in both jobs, and
now, having about $25, 600 in his possession,
he determined to take a trip to Europe. He
changed his money for gold and secured
passage for Liverpool Luck had singularly
favored him in his undertaking, but now it
as strangely deserted him. He desired TO
keep his money under his own eye instead
of placing it in the purser's keeping. With
the exception of a few hundred dollars, he
slowed it away in his trunk, and on the
fourth day out this receptacle was opened by
false keys and every dollar taken out. The
ship was raided from the stem to stern, and
the people kept under the strictest swell
lance, but Rice never received dollar of it
back Two weeks after he landed in England
the police arrested a swindler with a large
amount of gold in his possession, but Rice
dared not seek to identify it for fear of be-
ing arrested himself.